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(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1Q SPENCER.

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No. 424,031. Patented Mar. 25, 1890.

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SAFETY VALVE. NO. 424,031. P'atentedlVIaLZ, 1890.

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f UNITED STATES GEORGE SPENCER, OE HYDE, COUNTY OE CHESTER, ASsIeNOR OE ONE-HALE PATENT OFFICE.

TO VILLIAM J OVETT, OF MELLOR, ENGLAND.

SAFETY-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,031, dated March 25, 1890. Application i'iled May 20, 1889. Serial No. 311,374. (No model.) Patented in England July 1l, 1888, No. 10,074.

.To all zt'ftont t may concern: v

Be it known that I, GEORGE SPENCER, a citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Hyde, in the county of Chester, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in High-Steam and LOW-Water Safety-Alarms, (patented in Great Britain July l1, 1888,|No.` 10,07@ of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for indicating and relieving an excessive pressure of steam, and for indicating, preferably by means of an audible alarm, the existence of low Water in a steam-generator.

According t-o these improvements there is suspended'within the boiler a beam havinga float and a balance-Weight suspended from its oppositefends. Upon each side of thecenyter of "oscillationv o'r of the fulcrum of the beam there are lformed or fixed a vertical arm or projection connected to a valve or cock which controls the inlet from the boiler steamspace to awhistle or outlet in the external atmosphere. In the event of the Water-level falling too low, the descent of the ioat and consequent descent of the float end of the beam operates the valve or cock to open the passage of the steam to the whistle or outlet, thus producing an audible signal or avisible escape of steam until the Water is restored to its safe level. Above the opening in the boiler, through which a pipe connecting the whistle or Outlet with the valve or cock passes, there is-a safety-valve of comparatively large diameter weighted to blow OE at a pressure of steam a little above the normal working-pressure.

I will more particularly describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-u Figure l is a longitudinal section of the apparatus and of that part of the shell of the boiler to which it is fixed. Fig. 2 is a partial vertical cross-.section through the fulcrnm of the beam and the valve. In Fig. l the safetyvalve is represented as being externally weighted. In Fig. 3 the safetyvalve is shown internally weighted. In other respects Fig. 3 is identical with Fig. l. Figli is a vertical cross-section of part of the apparatus, showing the connecting-rod from the safety-valve to the Weighted lever as arranged in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a plan of the weighted lever and beam according to the modification shown in Fig. 3.

In each ofthe figures A is a beam or lever carrying a iioat B at one end and a balanceweight C at the other end. Upon the beam A there are formed or fixed two vertical arms D D, which are connectedby two links E E to the slide-valve F, which controls the opening into a'pipe G, which forms a means of `comin'unicatio'n vbetween the Steam-space of the boiler and whistle I-I or the opening l, or with both the whistle and the opening. This pipe is preferably constructed in the T form represented inl the drawings, in which case the vertical part of the pipe is employed as la means for vthe suspension of the beam,

while the horizontal part of the pipe communicates at one end With the whistle I-I and at the other end with the opening I. It will be found advantageous to insert a steam-pipe into'the opening I. Branches of this pipe may then be taken to any desired spots-such, for example, as to the office of the manager, to the watchmans lodge, or, to

an indicator. I prefer to cast the pipe G in one piece with the tubular casing J, which has a'tlange at its lower end, by means of which it may be secured to the boiler-shell, and another flange at its upper end, upon which the dome K is secured. The safetyvalve, of comparatively large area, is mounted at the upper part of the tube .Land is weighted to blow Off at a little above' the normal Working-pressure. the safety-valve is weighted outside the boiler in the usual manner. It may, however, be

Apreferred to Weight this valve in such a manner that the position of the weight on the 1ever cannot be varied or tampered with While the boiler is in work. In this case the safety valve may be normally held down by the rod M, which is forked and connected by the lower ends of its fork to the forked weighted lever N inside the boiler. The connectingrod Mis forked, in order that it may pass down each side of the pipe G, and thus keep the apparatus symmetrical; but it is obvious As represented in Fig. l, f'

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that the pipe G may be placed to one side, when a plain connecting-rod might be used and the beam and the weighted lever` would be in parallel planes.

The described and illustrated arrangement of the forked connecting-rod M involves the forking or division of the weighted lever N, as represented, in order that the beam A and the projecting arm D thereon may be free to move vertically without touching or interfering with the weighted lever.

lVhen the internally weighted lever is used, as shown in Fig. 3, there may be used an apparatus for lifting the valve when required. This apparatus consists of the rod O and the hand-wheel P. The upper part of the rod is screwed to iit and engage with an internal screw formed through the hub of the handwheel, so that by the rotation of the hand- 1 alarm apparatus, consisting of the tube J, prowheel the rod will be lifted or lowered according to the direction of the rotation. To prevent the rotation of the rod with the handwheel, which would prevent the vertical m0- tion of the rod, a square part Q may be formed upon the rod in such a position as to pass through a corresponding square hole or bearing, or a key or feather may be IiXed in the rod so as to engage in a corresponding slot in the bearing. The lower end of the rod is connected to the safety-valve by means of a pin R, fixed in the lower end of the rod, from which it projects into a slot S, or two composed slots similar to S, so that the safetyvalve may be free to lift under the steampressure While the rod is in its lowest position, and so, also, that the valve may be lifted by the rod. The safety-valve may be inclosed in a dome K, having a suitable outlet T, or it may be open to the air.

It will be in all cases desirable to x a valve between the pipe G and the whistle, in order to prevent an excessive escape of steam or an excessive sound; alternatively, the passage to the whistle may be contracted. For similar reasons the pipe which may be connected to the outlet I and each of its branches may be provided with valves, which are usually kept only slightly open, but which may be opened wide when it is desired to enable the steam to escape quickly from the boiler in the event of low water. The pressure of the steam upon the under side ot the valve F will keep it firmly upon its seating, while the constant motion imparted to it bv the ebullition of the water will keep the faces in good and clean position.

I desire it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details and arrangements of parts represented by the ac companying drawings, as it is evident that these may be varied in many ways other than those herein described without departing from my invention.

Having thus particularly described my invention, I declare that what I claim isl. A casing for a high-steam and low-water vided with a flange for attaching it to the shell of the boiler and having at its upper 1 end a seat for a safety-valve, and the openended T-shaped pipe G, formed integral with the tube J, having its vertical leg dependin within the tube .I and provided at its low end with a seatfor a sliding valve F, substautially as described.

2. The combination, with a boiler, of the tube J attached thereto, having a safety- 1 valve seat at its upper end and an open-ended T-shaped pipe G, the vertical leg of which depends into the boiler, a safety-valve L, a hanger M, connected therewith and forked to straddle the pipe G, and a weighted lever N, fulcrumed on the lower end of the pipe G and connected with the hanger M, substan tially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 18th day of March, 1889.

GEORGE SPENCER.

Witnesses:

Roer. lvIATHIEsoN, WM. E. KEYS. 

